Deep brain stimulation (DBS) with electric current is a useful method in treating a wide variety of disorders including Parkinson's disease, narcolepsy, OCD, chronic pain, major depression and even obesity. In DBS, electrodes are implanted in specific areas of the brain and nearby neurons are stimulated with patterns of current generated by a neuro stimulator connected with wires to the electrodes.
Neurons include dendrites which are a branched pattern of processes which act to receive information and extend from a cell body (soma) which integrates the information received by the neuron and provides for the metabolic needs of the neuron, and an axon extending from the soma which transports constituents between the soma and distant synapses, wherein the synapses transfer information to the next set of nerve dendrites.
Neurons are negatively polarized in their resting state. Therefore, when no stimulation is presented, inside the soma membrane of the neuron, there exists a negative charge relative to the outside of the membrane. Sending a stimulation signal to the inner brain requires an action potential created by depolarization of the soma membrane which travels by way of axons to the inner brain, for example. Therefore, information moves through the nervous system as a series of action potentials that travel between the neurons by way of axon membranes.
A number of neurological disorders and many neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease involve, or eventually progress to involvement of both brain hemispheres; requiring electrode implants in both sides. Electrode implants may require an invasive procedure to implant the electrodes into the cranial cavity in a position in which portions of the brain can be stimulated during use. In some instances these electrodes may be incorrectly positioned. In other instances, there may be an electrode shift post-implantation. In both cases, subsequent surgical procedures would be required to adjust the positions of the electrodes and/or re-implant them. These additional brain surgeries result in unnecessary risks to a patient that can and should be avoided.